September 15, 2011

Today is Independence Day in Guatemala. Yesterday there was a great amount of practicing going on -- bands in the central park, runners charging through the streets bearing the torches of freedom, and just plain impromptu jam sessions. The loudest was the drumming session that lasted the most of an hour last night.

So the first picture is of that.

Then the parade started this morning at 9 and it took almost two hours to pass by. The second picture of of kids coming by ... every school had their entries out, most of them marching bands --- total drums and chimes with an occasional trumpet.

The third picture is where they had worked up to high school and it was marching bands and marching/dancing displays.

Now it is 5 p.m. and there are really cool young adult bands coming through from the other direction.

All in the day of the life of a Antigueño!